The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-12-17

solved in ArizO0a Is its water question
The fertility Uf its soil, the richness OF ito
grazing lands, the wealth of its mines,
are unquestioncd, but with all their
natural resources comes the question of
water supply for their development.
Broad and fertile valleys, for want OF
water, lie unused aud unproducive,
which could he made as productive as
any in the world with it. Thousands of
acres of rich gold bearing gravel beds are
also found all over this country, which
only lacks water supply to make them
yield up their rich treasures. In some
portions of the territory the waters Of the
larger streams have been diverted from
their natural channels for the irrigation
Of adjacent lands, with the most satisfac
tory results. Yavapai county is unfortu-
nate in this respect IN that, with one or
two exceptions, it has no streams of large
proportions which will furnish q water
supply either for extensive irrigation or
for placer mining any considerable por-
ton of the year. The question of storing
water for these purposes has naturally at
tracted the attention of those interested
in developing Its resources. Nature has
provided many reservoirs leading into
deep, rocky canyons, and has apparently
invited human enterprise to utilize them
by placing barrier to the water in these
canyons, and store the supply lavishly
given but unequally divided during the
year. About five years ago w. ii. Bates
the idea Of accepting natures conceived
invitation and putting into practical opcr-
alton an enterprise of this kind. The Has,
yampa, at point near the confluence of
three of its tributaries, just where it enters
into very narrow and rocky canyon, SEEM
ed to his practlced mind to be just such
place as nature intended for use of this
kind, while the comparatively level area
along the stream and its tributaries, imme-
diately above it, would furnish natural
reservoir for water. Away down the can
yon below it are not only rich placer
grounds but rich grazing lands. In these
he saw an opportunity for utilizing and
turning into wealth the waters which
could be stored in the reservoir. He had An
extended and careful survey made of the
country for miles, and the enterprise was
enthusiastically pronounced practical
one by engineers. His next move was
the organization of company with suf
ficient capital to carry the enterprise
through to a successful elimination. In
this he was successful, after the usual de-
lays incident upon the organization of
any great enterprise.
In June, 1856, a little over one year
ago, work was commenced on the dam
for storage purposes, the company in the
meantime having purchased the ranch of
Judge Abner Wade, Immediately above
the dam site, for reservoir purposes. Work
has been pushed or the enterprise, and
October l of this year, or probably an
earlier date, will witness its completion.
A representative of the Journal Miner
visited the enterprise the early part of
last week, and, notwithstanding all that
had been told him, was surprised at its
magnitude when witnessing it for the
frs. time. As previously stated, the dam
is located in narrow gorge Of Hassay
ampa creek, whose walls of solid granite
rise on either side to hight of several
hundred feet. At its base the dam is
only eighty feet in length across the can
yon. The gradually widening space be-
tween the walls of the latter, however.
make it about 400 feet in length at the
top "a hight of 10 feet. AS resistance
TO the immense pressure against it when
full, it is 1870 feet thick at its base, grad.
ually sloping on both sides, until at the
top it will be only ten feet across. Its
construction is as solid aud substantial
us is possible for human genius to build
A wall built of rocks weighing from two
tons down, twelve feet in thickness, is
built on the face and back of the dam,
and the intervening space is filed in with
loose rocks thoroughly tamped down. On
the upper face, against which the water
rests a skin of timber ia huilt Fire.
against the rocky face of the structure is
framework of timber eight inches square.
To these are fitted and spiked solid
face Of hmbers, closely joined, eight by
three inches. Over this is placed q thick
covering of water proof asphaltum coy
cred felt, and on top of this again Is an
other covering of timbers three by eight
inches. The latter is calked as tightly as
the hull of ship. The outer covering of
the skin of the dam, after being calked,
Is then painted with heavy coat of dark
water proof paint.
The rock work Of this immense struc.
ture is under the supervision of Gen.
George ID. NagIe, who has contract for
Its completion. He took charge of the
work in February last. The first thing he
did on taking the contract was to discard
the slow process of "snaking in" rocks
over an OK trail, and build tramways on
both sides Of the canyon running down